Absolutely not. Not even a teensie-weensie bit.
Even the so-called friendships were artificial. I like my life now. I'm free!
I just wish I would have escaped sooner - so many lost years. *sigh*
mamochan13
JoinedPosts by mamochan13
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mamochan13
tijkmo - once again I am amazed at how closely your experience matched mine. Except i couldn't stick around once I was reinstated and chose to remove myself.
I really appreciated how you explained the df'ing process, because it took me years to understand why i was so devastated. "I do not know why I was disfellowshipped...nobody is disfellowshipped for wrongdoing. They are removed for being a wicked unrepentant wilful wrongdoer and I was none of these things".
it is so difficult to be a person who considered themselves loyal to the organization, loving jah, trying to do the right thing, etc., yet be labelled as a "wicked unrepentant wilful wrongdoer" who people must avoid in case they are tainted by your evil-ness. It is so wrong, and it destroys your soul.
I've managed to work through a lot of it, but it is still extremely painful, even 15 years later. I hope you can find peace with yourself, tijkmo - things do get better over time.
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23
Did you ever get a speeding ticket or make an accident, serving Jehovah?
by JH in.
i know an elder who made a couple of accidents and scrapped his car more than once going to the kingdom hall or assembly hall out of town.
i guess that the angels weren't looking after him that day.... i even remember a brother making an accident with another brother in the field service...lol.
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mamochan13
Aude - actually we had a similar situation in a hall I used to attend. An elder with a carload of sisters out in service made a left turn in front of a semi (not paying attention, I guess, busy with chatter in the car). The sister in the passenger seat was killed. She was pioneering that month. A week later in some portion on pioneering someone gave an example of another person who was "faithful to the end" and had died while pioneering, with the implication that "there was no better way to die". The daughter of the woman who had been killed was at the meeting, and spent the rest of the meeting crying in the bathroom. A lot of people at the meeting were appalled at the lack of sensitivity, but many saw no problem with those kinds of comments.
The elder voluntarily stepped down and later moved away. He was a good person and was devastated by the accident.
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43
I just turned 28, two minutes ago. What advice can you give me?
by el jarocho mayor inwell, what advice can you give me?
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mamochan13
Keep up the good fight, and feliz cumpleanos!
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20
Children Given Blood Covertly.
by Englishman injust recently, i've been in some business discussions with a paediatrician who works away in a large city hospital.
we've got on pretty well, and, our business negotiations having come to an end, we sat down this morning to have a cup of coffee and a chat.. somehow or other, the subject of jw's came up.
the paediatrician then told me that he/she had already had several encounters with jw's and was aware of the wt's stance on blood and their permitting of certain substances being used.
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mamochan13
I heard this did happen in Canada. This was about 20 years ago, but my ex-sister-in-law who is a nurse reported that she was told by a doctor who supervised her that "if you JW's only knew how often you and your children are transfused while in the operating room without your knowledge"
Perhaps they've tightened up procedures now so that this is less likely to happen, but I agree with those who suggest doctors may be more concerned about saving a life than respecting a patient's wishes. I don't think it would have to be a huge conspiracy of silence, either. There are plenty of medical mistakes and misdeeds that go on in the hospital, and all those involved stay quiet about it for their own reasons.
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5
Houston couple win 1 million Amazing race. YEAH!
by Special K inyes, i was hooked on the realilty show "amazing race".. i just loved watching boston rob and amba compete.
..but i didn't want them to win.
hey, they already won a million on survivor...that is enough!.
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mamochan13
I liked Amazing Race, but I'm sorry - I thought Rob and Amber were a disgrace. To me, they cheated, lied and manipulated - something that is fine for Survivor, but not Amazing Race. I loved Amazing Race because it was people against the environment across cultures and across the world, a celebration of teamwork and cooperation. I was disgusted to see R & A pay locals to not help other people on the team, steal taxis, cheat, refuse to help a fellow contestant in need - what ever happened to the notion of dignity and fairness in a race? Had they won it would have been proof that cheaters and backstabbers always win. Maybe that's true in real life, but I didn't want to see it in a show I enjoyed.
Uchenna and Joyce at least were decent people who deserved to win. Rob and Amber would have screwed the taxi driver at the end in order to win - step on anyone to get your way seems to be the philosophy everyone embraces these days.
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Do you miss feeling that "Jehovah" was listening to prayers?
by LyinEyes inthis is hard to explain, but i will try.
the other day, my neice was put in the hospital for test , after having two seizures, she is 20 and has never had any medical problems at all.
i now know, that by doing that it seemed to take the burden of helplessness off of my shoulders.
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mamochan13
yes, I do miss having someone to pray to that I can believe in, someone who I believe will hear me, who I can talk to about anything.
I did experience answers to many of my prayers. I know the scientific explanation, but I do miss that feeling of belief, that you were never alone.
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55
Did You Ever Think The "End" Was Going To Happen In Your Lifetime"?
by minimus inalthough i was considered an exemplary jw, i never really could see it happening.
still don't.
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mamochan13
I've been thinking about this question, and I believe now that I must have never really bought into the idea, although it certainly affected my life profoundly.
My mother believed I would not go to school in this system, and she's now a great-grandmother. She never planted any peonies because they take 3 or 4 years to bloom and she figured there wouldn't be time. First thing I did when I bought a house was plant all kinds of things that take years to develop - so obviously I was not a complete convert!
Fortunately my non-jw dad made sure they saved for retirement, and both of them are now enjoying a comfortable life because of it.
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55
Did You Ever Think The "End" Was Going To Happen In Your Lifetime"?
by minimus inalthough i was considered an exemplary jw, i never really could see it happening.
still don't.
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mamochan13
What a great perspective, Liberty! What you say is true, and it can really help with healing if you try to see your life along those lines, rather than as wasted years.
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5
Medicine (for JWism) vs. Healing
by Markfromcali ini was thinking how the exit process as facilitated by people learning 'the truth about the truth' is rather like treatment of a disease, medicine can get rid of it but for example we know how chemotherapy can be hard on the body.
healing, then, would be something different and may be necessary after the 'harsh medicine.
' it's easy to resort to 'time heals all wounds', but when the wound is really deep obviously it helps to have something other than just sitting around waiting, because you're probably going to wait a really long time.
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mamochan13
I had to separate myself completely from family for a while in order to heal. Changing the language is a good suggestion - stop calling it "the truth"! I enrolled in university, which really helped. It was also helpful to embrace many customs that were forbidden - celebrate xmas, birthdays, mothers day, etc. I joined a political party and became active in union events, the first time I voted was a real rush! I learned the words to the national anthem and proudly stood up and sang at first opportunity. It may seem insignificant, but every little thing you do that was denied you as a JW is another small step towards becoming whole again.
And don't forget the importance of educating yourself regarding doctrine & practice. The more you learn about how wrong these things were, the easier it is and the better you feel.